Apparatus for laying or guiding ropes, chains, and cables



May 22, 1928.

W. S. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR LAYING OR GUIDING ROPES, CHAINS, AND CABLES Filed May 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 22, 1928. 1,670,993

I w. 5. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR LAYING OR GUIDING ROPES, CHAINS, AND CABLES Filed May 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 22, 1928. 1,670,993

w. s. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR LAYING OR GUIDING ROPES, CHAINS, AND CABLES Filed May 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLOUGHBY STATHAM SMITH, OF BENCHAMS, NEWTON POPPLEFORD, AND ALFRED DEVEB SHUTER, OF HARROW-ON-THE-HILL, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR LAYING OR GUIDING BOPES, CHAINS, AND CABLES.

Application filed Kay 7, 1927, Serial No. 189,784, and in Great Britain February 8, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for laying or guiding1 ropes, chains, and cables on and off the rum or drums of a winch or the like.

In the manufacture and use of cables and r0 es, it is frequently necessary to pass the ca le or a part thereof around winch drum about which it is given one or more turns for the purpose of hauling or holding the cable, and in order to move the turn or turns over a surface of the drum to make way for the oncoming cable, a guide known as a splitting or fleeting knife is employed, which is set at an angle to the path of the cable so causing the latter to be pushed aside to make way for the oncoming cable.

Such an arrangement, however, has the disadvanta e that friction is produced be tween the nife and the cable'with consequent wear on both, or possible injury to the cable. Hence, the fleeting knife is sometimes replaced by a roller. But, owing to the pressure of this roller bearing on a very small area of the side of the cable, a flat is liable to be produced in its path.

Yet another method of causing the turns to shift on a winch drum is to make the drum conical or partly conical, so that the turns of cable continuously slip down onto the smaller diameter. This method has the disadvantage that circumferential slipping is liable to take place.

It is the object of this invention to overcome these difiiculties.

According to this invention a ring is loosely mounted'on the drum, which is preferably the ring being larger than that of the drum at its periphery, so that the ring, owing to the thrust of the oncoming cable against it, may tilt and set itself at an angle to the axis of the drum, means being provided to prevent lateral movement of the ring along the drum in a direction away from the cable.

Preferably a block or which engages the ring site to that of the cable, and located on the side of the drum away from the point of contact of the oncoming cable in such a position that it bears against the ring at a point about 90 in advance thereof.

The angle of tilt of the ring will depend upon the difference in diameters of the ring roller is provided, on the side oppocylindrical, the internal diameter ofand drum but it has been found preferable to limit thls angle by means of a second roller placed diametrically opposite the first of such rollers may. be provide located around the drum, but two rollers have been found to be sufficient since if the ring is allowed to tilt freely about an axis joining the two rollers it adjusts itself automatically in such a way as to distribute the pressure on the cable over the widest possible arc, thus reducing the intensity of stress to a minimum.

The rollers may be mounted in such a manner as to be adjustable and carried on pivotally mounted arms or alternatively they may be carried in a frame adapted to rotate about a vertical axis located in a plane passing through the axis of the drum and preferably at the intersection of the latter with the virtual axis of the ring, the angle of set of the frame being adjustable.

In this latter arrangement which is especially suitable where it is desired to reverse the direction of rotation, the ring and rollers are preferably formed as truncated cones whose apioes meet at the point of intersection of their axes of rotation whereby a true rolling motion is obtained.

In another construction, the rollers may be replaced by a second rin carried by the main ring, t e two rings eing provided with ball races so that main ring may freely rotate with respect to the second ring against whose rear surface bear adjusting screws.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a winch drum on which is mounted aring shown in section. Figures 2 and 3 are an elevation and plan showing a. winch constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is a plan of a modification. Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 4. Figures 6 ard 7 are similar views of a further modification. Figure 8 is a section to a larger scale through a part of the ring.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a drum on which is mounted a ring 2 whose internal diameter is larger than that of the drum at its periphery.

In order to control the ring 2, rollers 4 are It should be understood that an number provided carried by arms 5 pivotally mounted to the frame 6 of the winch. The position of the arm 5 may be adjusted by isneans of screws 7 having operating handles The drum is mounted to rotate with its shaft 9 and as the oncoming cable shown at 10 passes around the drum which revolves in the direction, of the arrow it tends to push the ring 01f the drum.

This tendency, however, is resisted by the rollers 4 which engage the rear surface of the ring so causing the turns to push each other across the surface of the drum as the oncoming cable engages the ring.

In order that the bore of the ring where it engages the drum, may make complete contact therewith, it is tapered, as shown at 11.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the rollers 18 are shown mounted in a frame 12, pivotally mounted at 13 in a vertical plane passing through the point of intersection of the axis of the drum and the virtual axis of the ring, whereby the axes of the rollers are always normal to that of the ring.

The frame is held in position by adjusting screws 14.

In order to obtain a true rolling action between the ring and the rollers, they are formed as truncated cones whose apices meet at the point of intersection of their centre lines.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, the ring is shown provided with a secondary or thrust ring 15 whereby the rollers may be eliminated. Located between the front of the rin and the secondary ring 15, are balls 16 so t at the front may freely-rotate with respect to the thrust ring, which is engaged by screw bolts 17 so that the position of the rug may be adjusted.

stop or stops (not shown) may be provided to prevent the rotation of the second ary ring.

t is obvious that the invention may be applied to cables, chains, ropes, and similar members, and inthe claims the expression continuously flexible member is intended to cover all such equivalent devices. The reference to a drum is also intended to cover any equivalent rotatable member.

What we claim is 1. In ap aratus for guiding a continuousl flexib e member on and ofi a drum, the com ination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon, and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, and means for preventing lateral movement of the ring along the drum in. a direction away from the flexible member.

2. In apparatus for guiding a continu ously flexible member on and off a drum, the combination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon, and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its com periphery, and a plurality of rollers engaging the ring to prevent lateral movement of the rin along the drum in a direction away from t 1e flexible member.

3. In apparatus for guiding a continuousl flexible member on and off a drum, the corn ination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, a plurality of rollers enga ing the ring to prevent lateral movement 0 the ring alon the drum in a direction awa from the flexible member, and means for a justin the position of the rollers.

4. 1 h apparatus for guiding a continuously flexible member on andoif a drum, the combination with the drum of a ring loosel mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, a frame, a plurality of rollers mounted in said frame, said rollers enga ing the ring to prevent lateral movement of the ring along the drum in a direction away from the flexible member, and means for adjusting the position of the frame.

5. In apparatus for guiding a continuousl flexible member on and off a drum, the com ination with the drum of a ring loosel mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, and a roller engaging the ring and located on the side of the drum remote from the point of contact of the oncoming flexible member.

6. In apparatus for guiding a continuousl flexible member on and ofi a drum, the

bination with the drum of a ring loosel. mounted-thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, and two rollers engaging the ring mo and located diametrically opposite one another.

7. In ap aratus for guidin a continuousl flexib e member on and o a drum, the combination with the drum of a ring loosely 110 mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, and two rollers engaging the ring and located diametrically op osite one another, one of said rollers being located on 115 the side of the drum remote from the point of contact of the oncomin flexible member.

8. In apparatus for gui ing a continuous- 1y flexible member on and oil a drum, the combination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, and adjustable means for preventing lateral movement of the rin along the drum in a direction away from t e flex- 125 ible member.

9. In apparatus for guiding a continuously flexible member on and off a drum, the combination with the drum of a rin loose 1y mounted thereon and having an internal 130 3 and located diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, a roller engaging the ring and located on the side of the the point of contact of the oncoming flexible member, and means for adjusting the position of the roller.

10. In apparatus for guidin a continuously flexible member on and o a drum, the combination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, two rollers engaging the ring an located diametrically opposite one another, and means for adjusting the position of the rollers.

11. In apparatus for guidin a continuousl flexible member on and o a drum, the com ination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, two rollers engaging the ring and located diametrically opposite one another, one of said rollers being located on the side of the drum remote from the point of contact of the oncoming flexible member, and means for adjusting the position of the rollers.

12. In apparatus for guiding a continuously flexible member on and oil a drum, the

combination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, a frame, two rollers mounted in said frame, said rollers engaging the ring diametrically opposite one andrum remote from other, and means for adjusting the position of the frame.

13. In apparatus for guidin a continuousl flexible member on and o a drum, the com ination with the drum of a ring loosely mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, a frame, two rollers mounted in said frame capable of rotation about a vertical axis passing through the axis of the drum, said rollers engaging the ring and located diametrically opposite one another, and means for ad usting said frame about its axis.

14:. In apparatus for guiding a continuousl flexible member on and oil a drum, the com ination with the drum of a ring loosely .mounted thereon and having an internal diameter larger than that of the drum at its periphery, a frame, two rollers mounted in said frame capable of rotation about a vertical axis assing through the axis of the drum, sai rollers engaging the ring and located diametrically opposite one another, one of said rollers being located on the side of the drum remote from the point of contact of the oncoming flexible member, and means for adjusting said frame about its axis.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have signed our names this 29th day of April, 1927.

WILLOUGHBY STATHAM S MITH. ALFRED DEVER SHUTER. 

